ZHOB (By Rafiullah Mandokhail/ENNS) Former Chief Minister Khyber Pashtoonkhwa and central vice president of Awami National Party Amir Hyder Khan Hoti has said that those who brought Imran Khan to power have chosen a person who is not even capable of running the country. The slogan of ‘vote ko izzat do’ (honour the vote) was first used by the Khudai Khidmatgar movement. Bacha Khan and Wali Khan were the true campaigners for non-violence and reforms in Pashtoon society.
“We want to send a message to the world that Pashtoons are not terrorists but peace-loving, unfortunately terrorism has been imposed on their motherland deliberately. The Khudai Khidmatgar movement played a key role in the freedom movement,” adding we are striving for our rights and struggling for the supremacy of the constitution, but we are labeled as traitors.
He expressed these views while addressing a public meeting held at No.1 ground to mark the death anniversaries of Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan popularly known as Bacha Khan – the founder of the Khudai Khidmatgar movement and nationalist leader Khan Abdul Wali Khan here on Thursday.
The public gathering was presided over by provincial president Asghar Khan Achakzai while Amir Hyder Khan was the chief guest. Hundreds of party activists from Sherani, Killa Saifullah, Loralai and Ziarat attended the meeting. The central and provincial leaders of the party paid rich tributes to Bacha Khan and Wali Khan.
Addressing the participants, the party’s central secretary general Mian Iftikhar Hussain said that Bacha Khan had taught the lesson of non-violence. We fought against the terrorism bravely and sacrificed even our children to maintain peace in the country.
“The newly elected US president and Pakistan should play their effective role for the success of Afghan peace talks, because peaceful Afghanistan is a guarantee to peace and stability in the region”.
Mian Iftikhar lamented that those who divided the nation were labeled as loyal, while those who tried to save the country were labeled as traitors.
“We demand the overthrow of the Imran Khan-led government, holding of free and transparent elections, the supremacy of the constitution and control over own natural resources,” he said.
Asghar Khan Achakzai, the party’s provincial president, said that the Pakistan Democratic Moment’s narrative was in fact the narrative of Bacha Khan and Wali Khan. The political parities should have struggled for the sanctity of the vote decades ago. He alleged that the people are kept under the shadow of oppression.
“We do not want a confrontation with the state institutions but believe in struggling for our rights within the constitutional framework and democracy,” Achakzai said.
Zmarak Khan Achakzai while addressing the gathering said that history is full of the sacrifices of ANP. The party claims credit for renaming the province as Khyber Pashtoonkhwa. It also takes pride to be one among other political parties that passed the 18th constitutional amendment.
“We are the permanent inhabitants of this region and always stood against oppression. We want the country developed and prosperous. We have attained power through people’s votes,” he said.
Party leader Shahina Kakar paid rich tributes to Bacha Khan and Wali Khan and said that the party has a long history of sacrifices. She condemned the attack on Arbab Abdul Zahir Kasi and demanded the immediate recovery of Asad Khan.
President ANP Zhob Anwer Khan Mandokhail strongly condemned that the party activists coming from Murgha Kibzai to attend the public gathering were stopped on their way. He alleged that the innocent people of Murgha Kabzai were deliberately attracted towards terrorism, but they have taken the path of peace and rejected terrorism at all. He welcomed all the guests and participants.
Malik Amanullah Hariphal, Sardar Amirullah Kibzia, Mabat Kaka, Juma Khan Babar, Naqib Mandokhail and Hassan Tuniwal while speaking on the occasion said that Bacha Khan and Wali Khan were principled politicians and instead of their personal benefits, they always strived for giving a progressive and forward-looking identity to the nation.
Advocate Sabir Khan Mandokhail presented resolutions and paid tributes. The resolutions were included, recovery of all missing persons including Asad Khan, the arrest of those involved in the attack on Arbab Zahir Kasi, immediate implementation of National Action Plan to prevent possible terrorism in motherland, trade on Qamardin gateway, end the load-shedding of electricity gas and demanded staff for the girls college. Meanwhile, party leaders inaugurated the Bacha Khan Markaz in Zhob. Party activists Nazir Afghan presented traditional turban to Amir Hyder Khan Hoti and Zafar Khan presented traditional shawl to Shahina Kakar.
